Electric machines, often contained within a machine cavity of a housing, generally include a stator and a rotor, and an air gap between the rotor and the stator. During operation of electric machines, a considerable amount of heat energy can by generated by both the stator and the rotor, as well as other components of the electric machine. Some cooling methods can include removing the generated heat energy by circulating a coolant through walls of the housing or dispersing a coolant throughout the machine cavity of the housing.
For some electric machines, draining the coolant from the machine cavity can present difficulties. In some machine housings, the coolant may not drain fast enough causing coolant to accumulate within the housing. In some machines, if the level of coolant is too great, a portion of the coolant can enter the air gap between the rotor and the stator, which can lead to higher spin losses, decreases in machine output, integration of air within the coolant, and other disadvantages.